In 1996, reproduction armourer Jeffrey Hedgecock and historical clothier
Gwen Nowrick joined forces to create Historic Enterprises, Inc. Enthusiastic
reenactors, meticulous researchers and obsessive artisans, their company
reflects their passion for history and attention to detail.

Personally developing every item in their range, they delight in providing
well-documented, exacting historical replicas to historical sites, museums,
reenactors and educators around the world.

Hooked tags for winingas, Round, 720-1000AD, copper alloy

Manuscript show winingas wrapped spirally around the lower leg. Hooked tags of various types are often found just below the knees of skeletons; a pair of hooks were found below the kneecaps of a male skeleton in Birka grave Bj903, and similar bird or mask-like hooks were found at 'Ryurik Gorodische', near Novgorod, 9-10th cent. Small silver hooked tags were found in a similar position in a 9th cent. burial at Winchester, England. The location of the hooks as found in the graves make it reasonable to assume that their function was to hold up the winingas.

Details on the extant object copied:

Portable Antiquities Scheme number: NMS-345151

Found: Hindringham, North Norfolk

Found: 1, November 2005

Materials: Copper alloy

Size: 26mm x 21mm overall

Date: c. 720AD to 1000AD

Our winingas hooks are based on an extant mid/late Saxon hooked tag found in Norfolk, England. Copper Alloy hooked tag has a circular plate with twin lobes on top edge and notch forming 'ears' both with circular perforation, central boss within propeller-shaped arrangement of 3 blank trapezoidal panels between three panels of triquetra knots withing notched border and above three transverse lines at springing of broken hook.

Cast brass, sold in pairs (2).

Thanks to Peter Beatson, whose informative article on wickelbander provided a basis for this description